Tennis game board



Dec. 27, 1927., 1,654,018

W. J. SCHLOSSER TENNIS GAME BOARD INVENTOR ATTOR NEY ill til)

Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. SCHLOSSER, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

TENNIS GAME BOARD.

Application filed October My invention relates to game boards, and a purpose of my invention is the provision of a game board which simulates a tennis court and in conjunction with game pieces provides means by which two or more persons can play a gmne requiring a high degree of skill and corresponding in many respects to tennis.

I will describe only one form of game board embodying my invention, and will point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a view showing in perspective one form of game board embodying my invention.

In the drawing the board is designated generally at B, and is constructed of any suitable material and in any desired manner to produce a flat surface over which game pieces such as the disk 15 are adapted to be projected by manipulation of the lingers of the hand. The board is preferably secured Within and surrounded by a rectangular frame designated at I" and having an up standing flange 16 projecting above the surface of the board and for the purpose of pre venting the accidental displacement of the game pieces from the board. The inner side of this frame is preferably covered with felt, indicated at 17, in. order to give the necessary finish to the game board and to render the striking of the game pieces against the flange practically noiseless.

The surface of the game board is provided with lines thereon painted, printed or formed by grooving the surface of the board, or in any suitable manner to render the lines permanent. Longitudinal and transverse lines 18 and 19, respectively, cooperated to define the limits of a court, and by means of other lines 20 spaced from and parallel to the lines 18 and connecting the lines 19 alloys 21 are provided. The court between the alleys is divided into back courts 22 and right and left service courts 23 and 24, all by means of transverse lines 25, 26 and 27 and a longitudinal line 28. At spaced in tervals along the line 26 are pegs 27, preferably covered with rubber or some other suitable resilient material for the purpose of protecting the ganiie pieces against injury and aiding the pegs in deflecting the game pieces as they are shot across the board.

As previously described, the game pieces 15 are shown as of disk form and to aocom 18, 1926; Serial No. 142,455.

modate these game pieces on the surface of the board for a purpose to be hereinafter er;- plained, the outer corners of the service courts have their surfacer-a provided with pockets 29.

In playing the game a player places one of the game pieces upon ti o board at the back of either base line 19, and by aiiiching of the finger the game piece can be projected. forwardly across the surface of the board to the courts of his opponent at the opposite side of the row of pegs 27, it being understood that the pegs correspond to the not in a tennis court. In the actual playing of the game a player serves a game piece in the manner described, it being his object to on use the game piece to come at rest in the po of the diagonal service court or at least to cause it to remain Within the confines of the service court. It will be appreciated that considerable skill is required to project the game piece so as to come at rest within. the opponents service court as in doing so it necessary that a certain amount of propelling force be exerted on the game piece and sutiicient accuracy exercised to avoid the gan'ie piece striking the pegs 27. lit the game piece strikes any one of the pegs it may be called a net and the player loses his service. If the game piece is projected into the pocket 29 a certain count will be made to the credit of the player, but if it comes to a standstill within the service court his opponent, by a similar manipulation of the finger attempts to project the game piece to the first playe1"s service court or to any point to the opposite side of the pegs 52?". In this manner a game piece may be projected by the players to and from their respective service courts until the game piece is project ed beyond the confines of the service courts or into the alleys or back court-a when the player making such a projection of the game piece loses a point in. the scoring of the game.

I do not wish to be restricted to the pre cise method of playing the game as it will be understood that various modes of playing may be employed.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of game board embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein Without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim I 1. A game board having demarcations defining right and left service courts, back court and alleys, pockets in the service courts adapted for the reception of game pieces, and a series of pegs extending across the board and dividing the right and left hand service courts, said pegs being spaced from each other to provide restricted passages therebetween through which the game pieces are adapted to be projected.

2. .A game board having demarcations defining on the surface thereof service courts, pockets in the service courts adapted forthe reception of game pieces, and a series of upstanding projections dividing the service courts and being spaced apart from each other to provide restricted passages therebetween through which the game pieces are adapted to be projected.

3. A game board having demarcations dc fining on the surface thereof service courts, pockets in the service courts adapted for the reception of game pieces, a series of upstanding projections dividing the service courts and being spaced apart from each other to provide restricted passages therebetween through which the game pieces are adapted to be projected, and a frame surrounding the board and having an upstanding flange to retain the game pieces against accidental displacement from the board.

4. A game board as embodied in claim 2, wherein the pockets are positioned adjacent the outer corners of the service courts.

\VILLIAM J. SCHLOSSER. 

